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UK manufacturing suffered the biggest annual drop in almost three years in March as economists warned there was more pain ahead for the sector.

Factory output almost stagnated in March, which contributed to a 1.9pc annual fall in output, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This represents the biggest year-on-year drop since May 2013.

Output edged up 0.1pc compared with February, which was below economists' expectations of a 0.3pc monthly rise.

The broader measure of industrial production rose by 0.3pc month-on-month, against expectations of a 0.5pc increase.

Wednesday's data confirm Britain's industrial sector, which drives around 15pc of UK output, slipped back into its third...